James Blunt has said that his songwriting has become less selfish since he became a father.

The musician told BBC Radio 2 presenter Ken Bruce that he is “lucky” to have a “little, very close family”.

When asked whether his writing had changed as he has grown older and become a father, Blunt said: “Completely, yes, I think before I probably wrote more selfish songs just about myself as the subject matter.

“Now I realise that the people that I leave here behind at home are the ones I write about and care for much more.

“I’m really lucky I come from a very close family despite being sent away to boarding school when I was seven, which I do remind them of quite a lot, but that’s because my father was away in the army based overseas.

“I suppose despite that distance that I had as a child, the moment I got into the music business, I really needed family to support me and look after me, and I’m lucky to have my own little, very close family too.

“I think, times like these, the saddest moment about what’s going on is people in hospital alone and that’s when you realise that’s the worst aspect of what’s going on.”

Blunt performed his new song The Greatest on the station, which he said was for his children “to say to them to be the best they can be and it seems it will be the younger generation who will be our champions now”.

He is married to Sofia Wellesley and the pair reportedly have two sons.

The You’re Beautiful singer also revealed he is in lockdown in Ibiza, where he has a house.

He said that while Spain has a “very strict lockdown indeed” and the country’s population “have really suffered out here”, he is “incredibly lucky” to have a garden to spend time in.